Haptic technology provides an interface to a user via the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations and/or motions to the user, i.e., in haptic technology a haptic device may provide stimulation to the user. When the stimulation is directed to perception by touch, the device is often referred to as a tactile device. One example of a known haptic device is a game controller. A game controller could, for example, be used to simulate a race car steering wheel by providing the user with the “perception of the road”. As the user makes a turn or accelerates, the steering wheel responds by resisting turns or slipping out of control. A game controller can also be configured for tactile feedback that is perceived via the skin, such as a vibration, e.g., in response to the user's car touching the guardrail.
An example of a tactile device is disclosed in the English patent GB 2 241 894. In this patent a massage mat consists of cells disposed in a rectangular form, enveloped, for example, in synthetic leather, and controlled by an external control unit. Specifically, the massage is manually activated by the user by pushing the buttons on the controller, thus deciding massaging area, intensity and duration of the action.
While the massage mat offers a tactile sensation to the user, it is limited to a single person usage and controlled manually by the user herself, thus supporting only a one-way type of communication (i.e., from the control unit to the mat of cells).